This is a newly created project in early concept and development stages. We propose to explore various different platforms of iPS-based cellular reprogramming to assess the most efficient and practical approach to induce pluripotency and establish in vitro propagation. Thymic epithelial tumors represent an ideal primary tumor to test our hypothesis, because there are very few cell lines described and none are widely available for testing. Thymic epithelial tumors range from indolent to aggressive subtypes (i.e. thymic carcinoma) that may be particularly suited to iPS transformation.